STS-120/(10A) Update

[bpcooper]

It will use the original ET from STS-114 before it was swapped (ET-120). Not the hail damaged one which, yes, flew right on with 117 after being repaired. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[bobblebob]

There was talk by the MMT yesterday that they will review the ET and the problem of ice forming and breaking foam off, after the current mission. In a worst case scenario if this cannot be resolved then a redesign may be needed. Is this likely and would it effect this mission?

 

[cuban]

I am looking to watch the launch and will be coming over from England to do so. <br /><br />Is there any possibility that that date might come forward back to the 20th October or is it a case of it will now only by 23rd October or later?<br /><br />I need to arrange my travel plans, so would appreciate some insight. Thank you in advance.<br />

 

[3488]

Hi Cuban,<br /><br />Welcome to SDC.<br /><br />Hope you will have a very good trip.<br /><br />Assume you are from the UK???<br /><br />I am from Ashford in Kent.<br /><br />We also intend to travel over from Britain, perhaps next year when:<br /><br />1). We have some money.<br /><br />2). My Chinese wife can travel outside the UK when her first year is up, <br />in November this year (condition of her UK Visa).<br /><br />Oh BTW she will need a American Visa. <img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" /><br /><br />We'll see, we might try for the December launch, although really I would have liked<br />to have seen the Mars Phoenix Lander launched or DAWN launch in September.<br /><br />I think more likely it will be next year now, before we can go anywhere.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

Soyuz undock is not till Oct. 21, and they won't launch the shuttle until it has undocked. So unless there is a change to the Soyuz mission plan, they won't move it back up. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hopefully the weather will be co-operative.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Latest Release:<br /><br />08.17.07<br />George Diller<br />Kennedy Space Center, Fla.<br />321-867-2468<br />george.h.diller@nasa.gov<br />STATUS REPORT: S-081707<br />NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT<br /><br />Note: NASA's Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing <br />Status Reports periodically and is the source for information <br />regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and <br />payloads. <br /><br /><br />Mission: STS-120 - 23rd International Space Station Flight - U.S. Node <br />2 <br />Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103) <br />Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3 <br />Launch Date: Targeted for Oct. 23, 2007 <br />Launch Pad: 39A <br />Crew: Melroy, Zamka, Parazynski, Wheelock, Wilson, Nespoli and Tani <br />Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles <br /><br />In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 3 this week, forward, midbody <br />and aft closeout work continues. The auxiliary power unit tank <br />pressurization is complete. Freon coolant loop No. 1 and 2 top-off <br />and sampling is finished. Technicians performed hydraulic operations <br />to position the shuttle main engines for rollover. Testing of the <br />orbital maneuvering system flight controls and gimbal system was <br />successful. Functional testing of the radiators, located on the <br />payload bay doors, is under way. <br /><br />Stacking of the STS-120 solid rocket boosters in the Vehicle Assembly <br />Building is complete and closeout work is under way. <br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[thereiwas]

I was not aware that the orbiter used the Russian docking system for approaching the port at the USA end of the station. Is this for backup?

 

[thereiwas]

Ok then, what is the Russian avionics box, part of the ODS, you mentioned as needing replacement?

 

[thereiwas]

If it slips into November, what does that do to the scheduled December flight? (Pad turnaround time-wise, and running up against NASA's fear of calendar rollovers on the other end?) I seem to recall there is a wager on that ...

 

[holmec]

Not only that but of the ATV launch by ArianeSpace. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[bobblebob]

Are they adding another set of solar arrays during this mission? Ive looked at the flightplan and it doesnt say they're, but the manifest http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/manifest.html suggests they're if you look at the picture of the ISS after the mission <br /><br />Edit: Just realised it the P6 relocation. Had forgotten they had retracted them during a previous mission

 

[MeteorWayne]

Update from NASA.<br /><br />08.24.07<br />George Diller<br />Kennedy Space Center, Fla.<br />321-867-2468<br />george.h.diller@nasa.gov<br />STATUS REPORT: S-082407<br />NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT<br /><br />Note: NASA's Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing <br />Status Reports periodically and is the source for information <br />regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and <br />payloads. <br /><br /><br />Mission: STS-120 - 23rd International Space Station Flight - U.S. Node <br />2 <br />Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103) <br />Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3 <br />Launch Date: Targeted for Oct. 23, 2007 <br />Launch Pad: 39A <br />Crew: Melroy, Zamka, Parazynski, Wheelock, Wilson, Nespoli and Tani <br />Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles <br /><br />In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 3 this week, forward, midbody <br />and aft closeout work continues. Final payload bay door closing is <br />scheduled for next week. The orbiter docking system pyro testing is <br />under way. The external door functional testing is complete, as is <br />final testing of the engine cutoff sensor wiring modifications.<br /><br />Stacking and closeout of the STS-120 solid rocket boosters in the <br />Vehicle Assembly Building has finished. Mating of the external tank <br />to the boosters has been postponed, pending completion of foam repair <br />work that will be done on the tank's liquid oxygen feedline support <br />brackets. <br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[jimfromnsf]

"I was not aware that the orbiter used the Russian docking system for approaching the port at the USA end of the station"<br /><br />There are two docking systems on the ISS. The Russia segment uses a probe and drogue system, the same that was used on MIR. The US segment uses the Russian APAS. This was used on the Shuttle/MIR program. One Russian module on MIR had the APAS which was for the Buran. NASA decided it was cheaper to continue to use this system for the ISS

 

[thereiwas]

To me the interesting part of this mission is the addition of the Harmony node that STS-120 will bring up. They can't install it with the orbiter docked because it goes right in the same place the docking system is located! So Harmony gets parked over on Unity. Then they shift the solar array down from the top to the port end. Then the orbiter leaves.<br /><br />Then it gets really interesting. ISS EVA activity has to remove the docking adapter and replace it with Harmony, and put the adapter on the new front end. Once they start this process it has to be completed before another orbiter can visit.<br />

 

[haywood]

Here's a couple of pictures of the LOX feedline bracket foam crack.

 

[haywood]

Second picture without foam.<br />

 

[haywood]

SG...I noticed in this picture that some of the tiles above one of the cockpit windows seem to be in rather poor shape (see next picture for close-up).<br />Are these going to be replaced or are they in good enough condition for launch?<br />

 

[haywood]

Here's the close-up.<br />

 

[MeteorWayne]

Another radiator hit.<br />The LEO environment is getting uglier every month <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[ckikilwai]

I've been looking on wikipedia for STS-120 and it seems to be a pretty exciting mission!<br />Adding the Harmony module and replacing the P6 truss, it will be a new amazing sight.<br /><br />I missed STS-117 because I was on vacation and at the introduction week for aerospace students, but the images of the ISS after Endeavour left were again breathtaking.<br />I especially like this one:<br />http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/188178main_s118e09341_hires.jpg<br /><br />And I recall reading some time ago that the solar panels of the zarya module would retracted for the deployment of the radiotorpanels on the P1 and S1 truss.<br />Does somebody know when that will happen?<br />

 

[MeteorWayne]

Weekly status report:<br /><br />08.31.07<br />George Diller<br />Kennedy Space Center, Fla.<br />321-867-2468<br />george.h.diller@nasa.gov<br />STATUS REPORT: S-083107<br /><br />NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE PROCESSING STATUS REPORT<br /><br />Note: NASA's Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing <br />Status Reports periodically and is the source for information <br />regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and <br />payloads. <br /><br />Mission: STS-120 - 23rd International Space Station Flight - U.S. Node <br />2 <br />Vehicle: Discovery (OV-103) <br />Location: Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3 <br />Launch Date: Targeted for Oct. 23, 2007 <br />Launch Pad: 39A <br />Crew: Melroy, Zamka, Parazynski, Wheelock, Wilson, Nespoli and Tani <br />Inclination/Orbit Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles <br /><br />In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 3 this week, forward and aft <br />closeout work continues. The midbody closeouts are complete. Closeout <br />of the crew cabin airlock is under way. The orbiter's main engines <br />have been configured for rollover. Workers are installing hard covers <br />on the orbiter's windows.<br /><br />Stacking and closeout of the STS-120 solid rocket boosters in the <br />Vehicle Assembly Building are finished. Mating of the external fuel <br />tank to the boosters is targeted for Sept. 5, pending completion of <br />foam repair work that is being done on the tank's liquid oxygen <br />feedline support brackets. <br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[bobblebob]

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_ceit-harmony-lg.jpg<br /><br />Never can grasp how big something is until you compare it to something. Its huge <img src="/images/icons/blush.gif" />

 

[MeteorWayne]

Nice, thanx bobblebob! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[nimbus]

Could you briefly comment on this again, once the results are in? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>